Articles

This post explains an update in the version of protobuf libraries used by Kpow, and a possible compatibility impact this update may cause to user defined Custom Serdes.

Kpow 94.5 enhances data inspection with comma-separated kJQ Projection expressions, in-browser search, and flexible deserialization options. This release also adds high-performance streaming for large datasets and expands kJQ with new transforms and functions—testable on our new interactive examples page. These updates provide deeper insights and more granular control over your Kafka data streams.

Kpow now offers enhanced under-replicated partition (URP) detection for more accurate Kafka health monitoring. Our improved calculation correctly identifies URPs even when brokers are offline, providing a true, real-time view of your cluster's fault tolerance. This helps you proactively mitigate risks and ensure data durability.

We're excited to launch the new Factor House Docs, a unified hub for all our product documentation. Discover key improvements like a completely new task-based structure, interactive kJQ examples, and powerful search, all designed to help you find the information you need, faster than ever. Explore the new home for all things Kpow, Flex, Factor Platform and more.

Apache Kafka 4.1 has landed: with queue support in preview, improved Kafka Streams coordination, and new security and metrics features, this release marks a major milestone for the future of real-time data systems.

From structuring data streams to spinning up full pipelines locally, our latest Kafka x Flink meetup in Melbourne was packed with hands-on demos and real-time insights. Catch the highlights and what's next.

Factor House has opened a public Slack for anyone working with streaming data, from seasoned engineers to newcomers exploring real-time systems. This space offers faster peer-to-peer support, open discussion across the ecosystem, and a friendly on-ramp for those just getting started.

Jumpstart your journey into modern data engineering with Factor House Local. Explore pre-configured Docker environments for Kafka, Flink, Spark, and Iceberg, enhanced with enterprise-grade tools like Kpow and Flex. Our hands-on labs guide you step-by-step, from building your first Kafka client to creating a complete data lakehouse and real-time analytics system. It's the fastest way to learn, prototype, and build sophisticated data platforms.

Kpow's 94.3 release is here, transforming how you work with Kafka. Instantly query topics using plain English with our new AI-powered filtering, automatically decode any message format without manual setup, and leverage powerful new enhancements to our kJQ language. This update makes inspecting Kafka data more intuitive and powerful than ever before.

The real-time ecosystem has outgrown Kafka alone. At Current London 2025, the transition from Kafka Summit was more than a name change — it marked a shift toward streaming-first AI, system-level control, and production-ready Flink. Here's what Factor House saw and learned on the ground.